So South Korea gets ousted from the tournament because they fail to snag one of the coveted spots among the eight best third-placed teams. But let’s be real, this was more than just a game of soccer—it’s an opportunity for the mainstream media, like CNN and ESPN, to spin a narrative that feeds into the cultural zeitgeist of failure and “what could have been.”

You can already see the way these networks are framing it. They’ll focus on South Korea’s stumble as a national tragedy, pushing the narrative of despair. Instead of acknowledging that South Korea entered this tournament against some serious competition and did their best, you know they’re going to highlight every misstep to keep that “victim mentality” alive. Isn’t that rich? They’re happy to embellish stories about an “epic collapse” instead of looking at the broader context of sportsmanship and competitive spirit.

Meanwhile, outlets like Fox Sports will try to do the opposite, framing it as a valiant effort, but only to pander to their audience. Both are guilty of catering to sensationalism rather than delivering a balanced perspective. Neither will take responsibility for the fact that sports are unpredictable and that failure is as much part of the game as victory. Instead, they’ll paint a dramatic picture to keep their narratives alive, instead of celebrating the real wins—like teamwork, strategy, and the thrilling nature of competition itself.

It’s all a game to them, folks. As viewers, we should start calling out this nonsense and demanding coverage that reflects reality, rather than corporate media’s manufactured narratives.